Stages of SA.

[T T T]

This is a thread where you can share the 'stages' you usually go through when being presented with a social situation; from preperation until it is completley over.

As an example I will share my usual 'stages' for when I go out.

- I know that I have to go out, I feel sick and try and get out of it.
- I feel trapped because I know that I can't get out of it, and I start to sweat and worry.
-Start to insult myself.
- I become more afraid and agitated. Start to develop a headache from over thinking and stress.
- Leave to go out, feel insecure and inferior. Hunch over and walk with my arms pinned to my sides.
- As I walk past people my eyes become unable to settle incase I make eye contact with someone. I then tend to insult myself some more, wish I was someone else.
- Start to twitch a little bit, and become gradually more and more paranoid.
- Do everything I can to avoid the most people, walk down alleys etc.
- Eventually ware myself out from sweating, worrying, overthinking, beating myself down and walking fast to avoid people, and become overly tired.
- I am now almost physically unable to keep up my usual avoidant behaviour, and just endure it and suffer it, continuing to insult myself.
- Afterwards, I block the entire situation out of my mind as best I can to avoid embarrassing myself, and presenting myself with the harsh truth; i'm really struggling to keep this up.

Post yours, I think it's really interesting to see everyone's take on their SA.

 

[Beatrice]

Phase 1: Anticipates interaction with other human being, proceeds to boost up self-confidence/banish anxiety.

Phase 2: As interaction commences, notes confidence slipping, bodily tension ever-present and rising.

Phase 3: Alternates between Phase 1 and 2.

Phase 4: Interaction over.

Outcome A: Postive. Feels great, bubbly, but over-stimulated; anxiety still lingers, however.

Outcome B: Negative. Beats self up, feels terrible, anxiety lingers.

 

[Phoenixx]

My "phases" tend to vary, depending on the social situation I'm about to encounter. So, let's just say a basic social situation like, going out to the store alone (This is actually pretty rare for me. I almost always go with my mom because I can't stand it alone. )

- I know for a fact that I have to go, with no one but myself, so I start to worry.
- I start thinking of how much I absolutely hate it and how many people are going to be staring at me.
- Once I get there, I tend to tremble a bit and slightly blush. Sweating doesn't kick in unless I'm even more nervous.
- I start walking pretty fast, usually keep my head down while also still thinking that everyone is staring at me.
- I tend to cut through aisles with no one in them, and I do what I need to do as fast as possible.
- I try to avoid people as much as I can (self-checkout ftw!), but if I need to have the cashier check me out, I do it anyway, while trying to mask my nervousness.
- Once mission is over, I'm usually happy, but tired. Sometimes afterwards I end up with a headache, depending on how long I had to put up with it.
- Oh, and if I did talk to someone, after the situation I tend to replay the conversation (even if it was just small talk) over and over in my head while analyzing how stupid I acted and sounded as I spoke.